Knowledge of type 2 diabe tes me llitus and adherence to management guideline s: a cross-sectional study in Juba, South Sudan

Abstract

Introduction: In South Sudan, inadequate education and the lack of efficient diabetes care centres compounded by high costs are common barriers for diabetes care.

Objective: To assess the level of knowledge and adherence to guidelines for management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and detect associations between knowledge scores and HbA₁C levels.

Method: A cross-sectional study among 176 participants aged from 20 to 79 years with T2D randomly selected in Malakia Diabetic Clinic, Juba from July to September 2017.

Results: The proportions of “poor”, “average”, and “good” scores for knowledge were 58%, 18% and 24%, respectively. Fewer than half of the patients had had retinal check-ups (46.6%), HbA₁c tests (44.3%), lipid measurements (37.5%), dental examinations (20.5%) and renal function reviews (10.2%) in the last year.

Conclusion: There was poor knowledge and low adherence to diabetes management guidelines. This study highlights the significance of educational intervention and implementation of diabetes management guidelines in South Sudan.

Keywords: Type 2 diabetes; knowledge; adherence to guidelines; self-management; South Sudan